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Articles
Winter protection of Shohin-bonsai
Text and photos: Morten Albek
Shohin-bonsai protected in the cold greenhouse.
Properly a problem that costs many worries
for the lovers of the tiny trees around the world.
And the smallest of bonsais do need some
extra attention trough their dormant period, with sometimes
very cold winters in Europe.
You have to be aware of the very different
climates we have around, and therefore use common sense when
doing for instance a shelter for your Shohin-bonsai through
the winter period.
There can be big differences in the climate
locally in a little country like Denmark, and even more
throughout Europe. And it will of course be even more drastic
counting the rest of the world. This is just to tell you, that
you have to be very careful to know which conditions your trees
can adapt too.
Bonsai in early stage, brought in to the
greenhouse for winter protection.
Some guidelines for protection and daily care in
the winter
If living in a place where the winter brings
frost or even snow (like my place), one has to take some
precautions to bring the trees safe through the winters.
Species
Be well aware of the species you have as
Shohin-bonsai. Are they in general able to live in the climate
you are living in? And, most important, do you know if they
tolerate heavy frosts?
The cold greenhouse
I always place my bigger bonsais in a cold
frame, or in a cold (not headed) greenhouse, from the start of
November. The Shohin always gets a place in the greenhouse.
When spring arrives I take them out again.
That’s around March to April. It all depends of the weather,
and you will find me bringing some of my bonsais in and out a
few times, because of shifting weathers. But only in the start
and ending of the sheltering period. It can be necessary to
protect from heavy steady raining periods in late autumn as
well.
If temperatures should drop heavily, down to
around – 15 Celsius/ 5 Fahrenheit, and rarely lover, I will
take my bonsais to my cold basement where the temperatures are
around 8 Celsius/ 45 Fahrenheit. But only until the temperature
rises again outside. The trees needs the touch of frosts to
kill over wintering insects and eggs in the bark, and to rest
properly.
Shohin-bonsai placed in the greenhouse during winter.
Protection from cold
winds and sun
Shohin-bonsais needs protection for the
cold winds, exactly as their bigger mates. It is very
important to keep any bonsai from winds when their pots and
soil are frozen, because the roots will not be apple to
take up frozen water. And both wind and sun will dry out
the leaves of especially evergreen species. But also when a
tree has dropped every leave, it will still be transpiring
through the bark and their buds. It may be slowed down very
much, but the tree is still active through the whole winter
period.
When a tree stands in a greenhouse the
sun will still be able to heat up the leaves on a conifer
to quite warm degrees, even when it is very cold. Therefore
it is of big importance to shade a little when the pots and
soil are frozen. Ells the tree will die from dehydration,
when the leaves transpires damp in order to cool down the
leaves.
A Shohin-bonsai is of course very sudden
dehydrated, because of the very limited amount of soil and
spare roots compared to the amount of leaves.
Winter exhibition
It is very satisfying to bring in a
Shohin on a winter day. Just to observe the details of the
naked branches and new buds.
Or even to bring them to a winter
exhibition where the winter silhouettes of a leafless tree
is very pleasing.
Just remember to bring them back after a day in the heat,
so you don’t disturb the trees more than necessary.
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Zone maps
Here you can find your zone map
to see the temperatures around the world. Then compare
it with the hardiness of your trees.
Europe
Australia
USA
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